Adventure on the Sword Coast
Adventure on the Sword Coast is a collaborative storytelling event where viewers get to vote on the creation of a single night's story arc and vote in strawpolls to determine how NPCs/encounters are presented to the players. Recruitment comes directly from the viewership and from roll20.net. Season One Roster * Quintus_J - Otto Grimjaw, Hill Dwarf Valor Bard 3 * Ratpack_Rebel - Rodei, Mountain Dwarf Eldritch Knight 3 * Ikashibi - Rex Crick, Variant Human Trickster Cleric 3 * Nat20? - Jinxi, Pirate 3 Summary * Week One * Week Two * Week Three * Week Four Season Two - The Ruins of Luskan Roster * Konotyran - Carson Elric, Human Illusionist Wizard 3 * Winddaburr - Slak Kher, Human Uthgardt Former Bear-Totem Barbarian 3 * Super_6w3n - Thomassa, Human monk 3 Summary Exposition In celebration of the season one players succeeding in "thwarting the evil of Azholo" Otto Grimjaw has risen to be the new head of the Brotherhood of the Red Flagon in Baldur's Gate. They did know that a women known simply as "The Baroness" had slipped away empregnanted with the child of Azholo in her womb. Second two picks up with a new crew of recruits being shipped off to follow a lead in Luskan. Otto had an old war friend named "Firk the Daring" who claimed to have information on the cult that is following "The Baroness" and her location. The new recruits find much turmoil in Luskan resulting in many early encounters, including rustling with pirates of Ship Kerth and some Black Elk Barbarians. After getting through these issues, they had the ability to speak with Firk in One-Eye'd Jack's, the lone remaining tavern. Underground City Firk tells the party of an ancient treasure beneath the Ruins of Luskan, the "Eye of Longing" and goes into details about how they are to retrieve it. If the party retrieved it from the ancient Illuskan ruins underground, the party would be able to use it to find Azholo's cult. After much talking, the smooth-talking Firk convinced the party to go get the "eye" and it was no place for him to go, so it was up to the party to use a "map" he had to retrieve it. As the party raced through the tunnels towards the city, it was guarded by a demi-lich of the long-lost people. It was his job to guard their secrets, the party managed to negotiate their entrance in exchange for one of the party members, "becoming one with the cities Illuskan heritage". Slak, the barbarian floated down and touched the Icy Orb. This Demi-lich death pact ultimately lead to him becoming a Quarter-orc Illuskan Arcanorager eventually, but the party didnt know it at the time. Crystal Labyrinth The party used this timely boon to escape for the terrors that chased them. Once in the city they were faced with a Crystalline Labyrinth. Due to the unholy magic of the death-pact, Slak was able to assist the party towards their goal of the "Eye of Longing" but not before a brutal encounter with a crystal minotaur that left the party near dead. Upon finding the eye, Slak volunteered quickly to go pick it up, thinking that he was meant to do so due to the pact he made. As he touched the eye, it walked up his arm, ripped his eye out, and placed itself in the empty socket. It caused Slak much pain, and replaced part of his vision with ones of a post-apocalyptic present. Returning to Town As the party returned to town back to Firk, he is surprised that they survived and is happy to help Slak not lose his mind to the demon Azholo by performing a ritual to fuse the eye to him. The party attempts to rest but are woken up during the night, as people come for the party. Slak makes a joke about Firk being his best friend and Firk wants no part of it as they jump out the window to escape. On the way to Trading Post of the Red Dragon, which Firk believes to be the hideout of the cult, the party encounter some fishmen on a bridge who are not happy to see Firk. Firk tells the fishmen, that his best friend Slak was here to settle up for him. The party was attacked and nets dragged all but Slak into the murky water below. The return of Rodei. A mysterious stranger named "Otto" (Pronounced 'Rodei') came from the shadows and assisted the party. Slak noted to Firk and Carson that Otto was not as he seemed, the eye showed the presence of Azholo hanging over him but the party had no window to act on this information. After a few more encounters on the way to the hull of the Trade outpost, Slak has an encounter where he "saves Firk" and the two start to actually hit it off after some sarcasm. When they get into the hull they are attacked again, leading to Firk showcasing his cleric skills and earning respect from Slak. "Otto" seemed to be interested mostly in Thomassa, attempting to teach her his ways in combat. While in the hull Slak experiences visions of bloody footprints that lead the party back to a church in town. The blood pact. It is in this church where unknown to the party, Carson Elric makes a blood-pact with a demon for greater power. Also the cultists had set up a sacrifice here to summon another demon, Drasfyre, to use as leverage against Azholo. As the party runs for their life, they enter the streets to scenes of chaos. The knights of Chalice have come to town to kill the demons and rid Luskan of its problems. This group was lead by Atherton Elric, Carson's older brother. Slak and Atherton fought it out but Slak was no match. Firk took Slak and the group to a safehouse to rest while the havoc was unfolding. Slak seemed uneasy with "Otto" keeping watch but due to his weakened state could do nothing but sleep. As the party partook in the food given to them, it became quickly apparent that it was not so safe. Party refocuses. Firk drugged them all, and during the night, removed the cursed eye from Slak's face, leaving him to wake up with a headache, and an eyepatch. When the party awoke both Firk and Otto were gone, and an orc named Hestus a member of the Black ring of Zhentarim was overlooking the party, disappointed with their progress. Claimed to have a vested interest in their success. As the party searched the area it became clear that cultists came here at some point and were slain by Otto. The party raced to the only place that we knew had a connection to Firk, One Eye'd Jacks. When the party got to the tavern, it was trashed. Atherton was inside with his men, drunk and celebrating their victory. Selena, the head of the bar, made us a deal if we could get rid of Atherton she would give the party information on where Firk went. Chasing Firk. The party departs for the hosttower of the arcane, which has a shanty town just to the south of it. This is where Firk would go if he was in trouble. The party is faced on their path there with a series of rope to climb and bridges to walk over. Despite their best efforts to fail, the party arrives at what looks like a ship's hull that is barred from the inside. As they investigate figures that have been moving around in the shadows come forth to attack them. These magic-eating creature seem to be attuned to Carson as he attempts to use magic to unbar the door so the party can escape. Also as they die they explode, causing more issues for the party. Ultimately after defeating a few, Slak roared out allowing unholy blue light to be unleashed from his eye socket that was covered previously, giving the party enough time to get into the hull and lock the magic-eaters out for now. Firk Dies. As they walk into the ruins within, they interrupt a ceremony where Firk is being implanted with the eye while some dark cultist magic also alters him. The two people involved in the ritual was a man who they had run into as a part of Ship Kerth early on as well as a cultist named Beatrix. As they vanished allowing the ritual to finish, the party had to fight demonized Firk. Firk in his new form let forth an series of attacks that smothered Slak. While Slak drew the wrath of the demon, the party managed to kill it. During the whole encounter, Slak could hear Firk through the demon's mind calling out to him and apologizing as his new form attempted to kill him. It was a traumatic experience for Slak. As the party does kill Firk, it cleanses the eye. As it falls to the ground, it emits a flash of white light, and it then attaches itself to Thomassa. This eye blinds her normal vision but grants her access to see where something else is. Love Lost, Lies found. Hestus who is still with the party imparts that it must be the other eye of longing, and the two have been separated since Azholo sliced his lover in half. The party goes after a red-flagged ship on the water where they believe the eye is. Onboard they find a ghostly crew who seems bound to a ship driven by a man who calls himself "Redbeard, the kraken slayer" There is a lengthy exchange between Thomassa and Redbeard(Known as Malik prior to his time at seas), who are long lost lovers who believed the other was gone. Many lies were told to them to make them both believe they were meant to be alone forever. Thomassa begged and pleaded to get Malik to re-accept his position with her, but the corruption seems to keep his mind to some extent. Enough to not want to help the party. Arismael, a light in the darkness. As Thomassa goes to embrace him, the whole party is transported to some scene frozen in time. The party talks with Arismael, forbidden angel lover of Azholo. The party finds out the two of them lived in the Prime material plane with each other deeply in love, until an adventuring party banished Azholo back to his domain. During this time Azholo feared the worst and when he arrived back he sliced Arismael in half binding her essence to the two "eyes of longing" so he could relive the good times without her assumed "betrayal" of him. Arismael imparts upon the group that purifying the eye's may be their only way to defeat Azholo, and the way to purify them, is the ultimate sacrifice, show compassion where only hatred exists. Give you life for another. The party here realizes, someone will have to die, can they convince Malik to? Can one of them take up that mantle? It was very surreal for all of them as they drifted back to the boat. Back on the boat. As the party phases back and in use their new enlightenment to try to further impart Malik's importance to him. Hestus decides he is done waiting, and attacks Malik to try to take the eye from him forcefully. The party manages to subdue Hestus, but not before Slak is thrown overboard and gets to see a few sharks swim by(Thanks Hobgoblin). Soon after Malik thinks about bringing the whole party and himself down to the bottom of the sea as he races the ship towards a cliffside. After and emotional plea, Thomassa manages to save the party and have Malik dock the vessel so the party can attempt to further their pursuit of the Baroness and the cult. Slak sits down and uses magic for the first time, giving a floating platform for Malik to stand on. Malik had devoted himself to searching the seas for those who dont uphold their promises. He said he would never step foot on land again. Slak's "magic" gave him the chance to help the party and keep his oath, or so he thought. Back to One-Eye'd Jacks. As the party runs through the town, things are getting worse. There are demons everywhere, death everywhere. They back to One-Eye'd Jacks and it is a barricaded mess, the party goes within to find maybe dead and wounded. But they are still holding strong. Atherton is not looking so good. Selena walks in and slaps Slak. Selena blames Slak for letting Firk die. The party managed to subdue Selena's rage and she gives Slak , "Firk's Tome" which she was instructed to give to him if things went south. Selena also told Slak, Firk gave his room to Slak. As the party tries to take in all around them, a very large winged-devil creature appears outside the bar. He claims to be a messenger from "The baroness" who has been tasked with bringing the party to her. He gives them the option to come willingly, or as dead bodies. The party as well as Malik, and Atherton are all picked up by the devil as he flies them through the town, to an old abandoned greenhouse. The Baroness. As the party enters, Malik touches the ground, and he is put into immense pain as the gods themselves come to collect his body. Thomassa is set into a rage and attempts to attack the Baroness. Thom is slaughtered. Carson is magically bound. Atherton still weak from early falls over. Slak is left to talk to the Baroness. The baroness heals the party as a sign of good faith and tells Slak that all she wants is a little favor. She tells Slak that she wants peace and order in a world made of Chaos, and he alone has the power to help her. She has been banished from Azholo's lair, but she needs a drop of his blood. The party is uniquely attuned to him due to their interactions with the Eye of Longing. If they bring back a drop, she will do everything in her power to help them achieve all their goals, specifically to Slak she mentions teaching him magic to help bring back Firk. Slak's choices. Slak, though conflicted, manages to tiptoe through the social interaction without committing to anything. He asks for their safety for the night to allow the party to rest and make their ultimate choice.The baroness grants them a small secluded corner and promises they will be unharmed and her minions will stop their raid on the town until the morning. While the party rests, Malik comes to Slak and asks that Slak help him kill himself to cleanse the eye. Slak agrees and the party wakes in the morning to find a cleansed eye and a dead Malik. Slak gives Thomassa a note that Malik wrote prior to his death. Thomassa is enraged by Slak's actions. The cleansed eyes merge together, granting Thomassa a heavenly boon. The baroness also revealed Carson had made a pact with a demon, Atherton and Carson had a very strong heart-to-heart and it seemed Carson regreted his decision to take the power. Slak tells the party that they are going to go to Azholo's Lair, and is unsure where this will all go, but he doesnt feel like they have a choice. They agree to the Baroness to go, she takes them to a portal and they enter. Azholo's Lair. As the party enters Azholo's Lair, Azholo sees Thomassa embued with the essence of Arismael and believes that it is actually his lover. In his confused state the party tries to talk to him but ultimately Thomassa attacks him. Arismael's presence is seen as she holds Azholo's powers back. Slak is embued with angelic might as he attacks as well. Azholo feeling betrayed by his love, took his own life by slitting his throat. As his blood pours over the ground, slak wipes his sword in the puddle and the party hears the cavern of hell echo with the screams of demons and evil. They run to the exit as fast as they can. It was noticable to the party that during the encounter, Carson never tapped into his Demon powers. Maybe everything is finally going right for the group.... The ending that wasnt. The party returns to the Baroness. While there is no plan, Slak attempts to engage the Baroness in conversation as he moves towards her. After a very shot start of a conversation, Thomassa attacks with a dart from far away, sending the party into a full fledged combat. The party is suppressed by strong magic, as the winged-devil devours Atherton. The party is stuck in the forest, watching Atherton bleeds out for 24 hours while the Baroness walks away. The personal stories and emotions of the players are very strong at this point. The baroness must die. But this was the end of season two, maybe they will get their justice some point later on. Season Three - Havoc in Havrik Roster * Kaemart - Kairon, Tiefling fighter 3 * Hobgoblinx - Darius, Dragonborn Paladin 3 * Valhalla -Fade, Earth Genasi Bear-Totem Barbarian Summary Season Four - Best Served Cold Roster * Tatertots25 - Norbeck Rayce, Human Lore Bard 3 * Darklogik1 - Six, Wood Elf Shadow Monk 3 * MoistTendies - Laird, Rock Gnome Artificer Wizard 5 Summary Stuff shall be added later! ~ ☆Starry☆ Season Five - Coming in April! Category:Adventure on the Sword Coast